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- W. HIPPERLING.

MAGHI NE FOR APPLYING HEADS TO TIN CAN BODIES.

No.-401,886. Patented Apr. 23, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VVILLIAMI-IIPPERLING, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STEPHEN A. GIN NA, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, AND RICHARD A. DONALDSON,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING HEADS T O TIN-CAN BODIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,886, dated April 23, 1889.

Application filed November 30, 1888. Serial No. 292,237. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HIPPERLING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Applying Heads to the Bodies of Tin Cans, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in machines for applying heads to the bodies of tin cans; and it consists in mechanism for receiving the can bodies and heads from suitable chutes, pressing said bodies into true circular form, and then applying the heads upon the opposite ends thereof, after which the cans leave the machine and are removed to suitable apparatus for soldering the heads in place.

The particular nature of the invention and the method of applying it to practical use will be understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a machine embodying the elements of the invention; Fig. 2, a detached top View of the slides connected with the devices for shaping the can-body and applying the heads thereto, said view being on the dotted line Z Z, Fig. 4, looking downward; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the dotted line X X of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical section on the dotted line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 an end view, both on an enlarged scale, of the elements hereinafter referred to as the slide 0 and plate F.

In the drawings, A designates the bed-plate of the machine, which plate will be mounted upon suitable legs, B, and is substantially rectangular in outline. Upon the bed-plate A are standards 0, in the upper ends of which are journaled shafts lettered D E F G, respectively, which are illustrated clearly in Fig. 1, and are provided with intermeshing beveled gear-wheels H, whereby motion is communicated through said shafts simultaneously. The shaft D is provided with the power-wheel I, whereby motion may be communicated to the said shafts. The shafts E G are provided with the cams J K, which respectively engage the rollers L M and operate to impart a reciprocating movement toward and from the center' of the bed-plate A to the slides lettered N 0, respectively, to which said rollers L M are secured. The slides N O on one side of the center of I the bed-plate A are exactly the same as the slides on the opposite side of said center, and each of the said slides is mounted in suitable guides, P, for directing their movement. The slides N O are connected by the rods Q, and are caused thereby to have a simultaneous motion under the action of the cams J K on the shaftsE G. During the rotation of the shafts E G the cams K move slides O inward toward the center of the bed plate A, and this movement, through connecting-rods Q, causes the slides N to also move inward toward the center of said bed-plate, and as soon as the cams K have ceased to act on the rollers M the cams J will move against the rollers L and cause the slides N to move outward toward the outer edges of the bedplate, the slides 0 having a similar movement, owing to their connection with the slides N.

The inner ends of the slides O are 'illus-, trated in Fig. 1, wherein it appears that the 75 inner ends of said slides, when in their inner position, are in suitable location to receive] the opposite ends of the can R, which has moved downward from the can-chute S. Owing to the line X X of Fig. 1, upon which section Fig. 3 is made, one of the slides O,being that on the right-hand side of the center of the bed-plate, is partly hidden from view;' but said slide is an exact counterpart of the slide 0 at the left-hand side of the cent-er of the bed-plate. r The purpose of the inner ends of the slides O is merely to receive and support the opposite ends of the cans, while other devices are provided for shaping the can and applying ,go the heads thereto. i The shafts D F are provided with the oppositely-acting cams T V, which act upon rollers W a to move the slides lettered b d respectively toward and from the center'cf the bedplate, said slides being connected by the rods 6, so as to have a simultaneous movement. The slides b d are suitably mounted in guides f, and the slides 61 have at their inner ends the forming-heads h, which are concave upon I00 their facing portions, and when the said heads are in their inner position said concave surfaces move against the lower half of the canbody, as shown in Fig. 4, and operate in connection with the concave upper surfaces of the inner ends of the slides O to form a semicircular seat for the can-body. In the outer edges of the heads h are mounted in grooves the sliding former-jaws 01, two of said jaws being on each side of the can-body, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the jaws on opposite sides of each end of the can-body being connected by pivoted rods j, (shown in Fig. 4,) whereby the jaws are given a simultaneous movement on opposite sides of the said body. The lower ends of the pivoted rods j, connecting the former-jaws 2', are pivoted to the upper end of the rods is, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) which rods extend downward and are pivoted to the bell-crank levers m m, which are supported in the standards at, and the operation of which will be explained hereinafter. The center of the bed-plate of the machine has an aperture, q, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, of a size suitable to permit the escape of the cans after being headed downward on the chute r, and above the aperture q is provided the can-chute S, having on each side the chutes t for the heads of the cans, these chutes being supported directly above the slides O and d.

Upon the shafts E G are also secured the oppositely-acting cams to ac, which operate, through rollers r z, to impart a reciprocating movement to the slides A B, which are connected by the rods D and are mounted in suitable guides, E, as shown in Fig. 1. The rods D, at their inner ends, are bent toward the transverse center of the machine, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and then extend inward and are pivoted to the plates F, which,

'during the reciprocating movement of the slides A B and rods D, are caused to assume a substantially vertical position and to have a hinged movement outward from the center of the bed-plate A. When the plates F are movedto assume a vertical position by the inward motion of the slides A B and rods D, they move heads G upon opposite ends of the can-body R, as indicated in Fig. 3, while at the same time the extensions H upon the upper ends of said plates F close the lower ends of the chutes t and prevent the escape of the can-heads therefrom.

The lower edges of the plates F carry hinged lips F, (see Figs. 3 and 5,) which are held by screws F upon the slides O. The slots in the lips F, through which the screws F pass, are elongated, so as to allow a definite freeplay in the plates F. WVhen the rods D are moved inward, they first turn the plates F upward to a vertical position, thus bringing the can-heads G about on a vertical plane with the ends of the can, and then the continued inward movement of the rods D causes said plates, with the heads G, to be pressed directly toward the can-body, this latter movement of the plates F being permitted by the elongated slots in the lips F.

After the heads G have been applied to the can-body, the slides A B and rods D move outward, and, as above mentioned, cause the plates F to rock outward on the pivots connecting them with the rods D, thus carrying the extensions H outward beyond the lower ends of the chutes G, and permitting the escape from said chutes of two additional heads G for the next can-body passing downward from the chute S.

During the reciprocating movementsof the slides A B and rod D the levers I (shown in Fig. 3) will have a rocking movement imparted to them by reason of their upward ends being passed through the slots J (shown in Fig. 2) in the inner portions of the rods D. The levers I are hung upon pivots K, and their lower ends carry rollers L, which have a bearing against the vertical arms of the bell-crank levers m, hereinbefore referred to.

The rods D, having an oppositely-reciprocating movement, impart a like motion to the upper ends of the rocking levers I, and this is communicated to the lower ends of said rocking levers, which act upon the bell-crank levers m, rocking them first outward from each other and then inward toward each other, and this motion causes the connecting-rods k to have a vertical movement and to move the links j and former-jawsi upward and then downward, the upward movement of the jaws t being in the line of a circle, owing to the grooves in the heads 7t, and operating to press the can-body R in the seat formed by the concave surfaces on the heads h and slides 0, thereby shaping or rounding the can-body and putting it in condition to receive the circular heads G.

In Fig. 4 the former-jaws t' are shown partly above the heads h; but in the position illustrated they have not completed their upward movement. When the rods it have been moved upward to their full limit, the upper inner edges of the former-jaws 2' about meet each other.

From the foregoing description'it will be seen that the slides O 0 move toward and from the center of the bed-plate A and form at their inner ends supports for the ends of the can-bodies and for the covers G, which are to be applied thereto, and that the movements of the slides O are about simultaneous with the reciprocating movements of the slides d d, which carry the heads h, which embrace the can-body on opposite sides while supported upon the inner ends of the slides 0. During the movements of the slides O and d the former-jaws i 1' are brought into position to shape the can-body, owing to the slides A and B with the rod D, rocking levers I, and intermediate connections, transmitting motion from the rods D to said jaws.

In the operation of the machine, the slides O N being in their outward position, the rotime the heads h, carried by slides d d, move inward, embracing said can-body, and the plates F .F, owing to the rods D, are caused to assume a vertical position, and thereby close the heads G upon the ends of the canbody R. The extent of the movement .imparted by the rods'D to the rocking levers I may be regulated by adjusting the pins K at the various positionsalong said rocking levers I, permitted by the apertures therein, as illustrated in Fig. 8.- l/Vhen the pins K are at the center of the levers I, both ends of said levers will havev an equal movement; but should the levers I be lowered, so that the pins K will be inserted in the apertures above h their'center, the lower end of the rocking levers I will have a more extended sweep than the upper ends of said levers, and as a consequence increased motion will be imparted through the bell-crank levers m, rods k, and links j to the former-jaws i, thereby adapting said former-jaws to shape the bodies of different sizes. The rods is are made in two parts connected bya threaded nut, as illustrated in Fig. 3, which renders said rods adjustable as to their length for the purpose of fitting the former-jaws t' for successful operation on different sizes of can-bodies. If the can-bodies left the body-seaming machine without being at times given a somewhat elliptical form, the former jaws 11 might possibly be dispensed with but it is a factthat in the usual operation of the body-seaming machine the canbodies are slightly compressed on opposite sides, giving them the form of an ellipse, which would prevent the ready application by machinery of the can-heads and'cams. It will be found expedient to employ formerjaws i, or some equivalent means for shaping can-bodies and giving them the outline in cross-section of the can-heads. When the former-jaws tare employed, they shape the can-body to suit the outline of the can-head, and the latter may consequently be readily applied thereto by the hinged or pivoted platesF.

In the operation of the machine the timing of the slides is such that the can-heads reach their lower position against the facing sides of the plates F just before the can-body R comes intoposition, and this causes the opposite ends of the can-body at its lower side to fall Within the flanges surrounding the canheads. The can-body then is rounded and the plates F immediately moved to a substantially upright position, which has the effect of closing the can-heads upon the body. The movements of the various parts are rapid, and the machine constructed as described is capable of applying heads to large numbers of can-bodies within a limited time and within limited space in the factory, all of the operation being automatic.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for applying heads to the bodies of tin cans, the reciprocating slides for supporting the can body and the reciprocating slides carrying former-heads for embracing the can-body on opposite sides, combined with the reciprocating former-jaws for shaping said body, the plates for moving the can-heads upon the opposite ends of said body, and mechanism, substantially as described, for moving said plates toward and from the ends of the can -body, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. I

2. In a machine for applying heads to the bodies of tin cans, the reciprocating slides for supporting the can-body and the reciprocating slides carrying former-heads for embracing the can-body on opposite sides, combined with the reciprocating former-jaws for shaping said body, the plates for moving the canheads upon the opposite ends of said body,

and mechanism, substantially as described,

for moving said plates toward and from the ends of the can-body, the chute for feeding the can-bodies, and the chutes on either side thereof for the can-heads, substantially as set forth. p

3. In a machine for applying heads to the bodies of tin cans, the reciprocating slides for supporting the can-body and the reciprocatingslides carrying former-heads for embracing the can-body on opposite sides, combined with the reciprocating former-jaws for shaping said body, arranged in guiding-grooves in said former-heads, the links connecting said jaws, mechanism, substantially as described, for moving said links vertically, the hinged plates for moving the can-heads upon the opposite ends of said body, mechanism, substantially as described, for moving said plates toward and from the ends of the can-body, and cammechanism arranged to have a simultaneous movement for acting upon said slides, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a machine for applying the heads to the bodies of tin cans, the reciprocating slides N O, the latter to support the can-body, the

' reciprocating slides 19 d, the latter carrying former-heads for embracing the opposite sides of said body, rods connecting the slides N O and b (1, respectively, cams between said slides for imparting a reciprocating movement thereto in opposite directions toward and'from the center of the machine, the plates F, hinged to the slides O and-connected with the sliding rods D for moving the can-heads upon the opposite ends of said body, and the reciprocating former-j aws t', for shaping the can-body previous to the action of said plates F, sub stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. I11 a machine for applying heads to the bodies of tin cans, the reciprocating slides for supporting the canbody, 'the reciprocating slides carrying former-headsfor embracing the opposite sides of said body and the reciprocatheads for embracing the opposite sides of said body, and the reciprocating former-jaws for shaping said body, combined with the slides A B, rods D, connecting said slides, cams w 00, for reciprocating said slides, and the plates F, pivoted to the inner ends ofsaid rods D I and hinged to the said supporting-slides for moving the can-heads upon the opposite ends of said body, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a machine for applying heads to the bodies of tin cans, the reciprocating slides for supporting the can-body and the reciprocating slides carrying former-heads for embracing the opposite sides of said body, combined with the plates hinged to the said supportingslides for moving the can-heads upon the 0pposite ends of said body, and mechanism, substantially as described, for moving said plates toward and from the can-body, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th day of November, A. D. 1888.

WVILLIAM H IPPERLING.

'itnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, R. A. PoRTEoUs. 

